Saliva ejector



March 1936. H. F. B'OEGER ET AL SALIVA EJECTOR .Filed April 28, 1935' j v r Attorney 5 Inventory;

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, a i F W 7 d J 4 B Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SALIVA EJECTOR Application April 28, 1933, Serial No.. 668,400

6 Claims.

This invention relates to saliva ejectors such as used by dentists for carrying off saliva from a patients mouth while the dentist is working on the patients teeth. For this purpose, it has been the practice to employ a suction tube having a goose neck which is hung over the patients lower jaw, and suction developed in the tube, draws saliva in through inlet openings at the lower end of the goose neck. The action of this type of ejector is not entirely satisfactory, because the suction at the inlets tends to draw in the adjacent flesh, and thereby close the suction inlet and cause the tube to attach itself by the suction to the flesh within the mouth.

The general object of this invention is to improve the general construction of saliva ejectors of this type; also to provide improved means carried by the ejector tube for providing a rest to support the patients upper jaw in an open position; also to provide a clamp to be adjustably secured on the shank of the ejector tube for carrying the rest that supports the upper jaw.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for the clamp, and also to provide it with an extension or extensions to rest upon the patients chin to keep the shank of the tube in a substantially vertical position, and prevent the tube from swinging over against the patients chin.

A further object of the invention is to provide means at the suction end of the tube, for supporting an absorbent material in a position to enable the absorbed saliva to be readily carried off by the tube.

Heretofore, a clamping device with a spring has been employed on a tube of this kind for supporting the upper jaw rest, but it has been found in practice, that there is a tendency for the upper jaw to release the spring clamp. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a construction for the rest, which will overcome this difiiculty.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efiicient saliva ejector.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation in partial section of a saliva ejector embodying our invention, and indicating its relation to the jaws of the patient when in the patients mouth. In this view, the suction head of the tube is shown in cross-section, illustrating the way in which the absorbent material is held by it.

Figure 2 is a side elevation illustrating another embodiment for the suction head.

Figure 3 is a cross-section upon an enlarged scale taken about on the line IIIIII of Figure 2, and further illustrating its details. 5

Figure 4 is avertical section through a suction head for the tube of a modified form.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V of Figure 4, further illustrating details.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 1, and further illustrating the construction of the adjustable clamp mounted on the shank of the tube.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the body of the clamp as viewed from the right side of Figure 6, but representing the same with the twoplates that carry the clamping jaws, removed from the clamping plate.

Figure 8 is a side elevation plates represented as removed plate.

Figure 9 is a side elevation illustrating a suction tube of the flexible type referred to above, and illustrating an improvement which we apply to such a tube in order to enable it to cooperate 25 effectively with a clamp such as illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a side elevation and partial section illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 11 is a plan illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 12 is a vertical section taken on the line l2--l2 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a bottom plan of an inner sleeve illustrated in Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a horizontal section on the line l4-I4 of Figure 12, but with the inner sleeve removed.

Referring more particularly to the parts, and especially to Figure 1, I indicates a suction tube having a shank 2 below, and having its upper end bent to form a goose neck 3, the lower end of which is formed into a suction head 4. In accordance with our invention, we provide the lower end of this suction head with an inlet opening 5, which, in the embodiment of the invention illus-' trated in Figure 1, is formed by the mouth *or lower end of the bore of the tube. In accordance with our invention as applied to a tube of this type, we provide means for holding a piece 6 of absorbent material, so that it extends in a direction transverse to the goose neck, but adjacent to the suction inlet 5, so that saliva that is absorbed by the absorbent, will be carried off by the tube. In the present instance, we provide the goose neck near its lower end, with a sleeve 1, the lower end of which extends laterally to form a rudimentary cup 8 having an upwardly turned edge 9,and having an inlet opening I 0 in. its

of one of the wing from the clamping 20 purpose rudimentary socket 28 which receives the teeth 2 bottom. Opposite this inlet opening, the sleeve 1 is provided with a movable collar II that carries a lateral extension or finger !2 that projects out over the cup, and which may cooperate with the cup to clamp the piece 6 of absorbent material which may be in the form of a roll. This roll can be bent around to fit into the lower jaw may be made friction-tight on. the sleeve. If desired, the sleeve 1 may be swiveled on the lower end of the goose neck. This may be accomplished by providing an annular groove l3 on the outer side of the neck, and providing the sleeve 1 with a small projection I4 to engage in this groove. The projection l4 however, is very small, so as not to interfere with forcing the sleeve over the lower end of the tube.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the suction head for holding the absorbent material, is represented with the cup 8 projecting away from the shank 2 'of the tube. However, if desired, the cup may project in the other direction.

On the shank 2 of the tube, we provide a clamp l which is mounted on the tube for vertical adjustment. This clamp is preferably provided with a guard Hi to engage the patients chin to hold the tube 2 in a substantially upright position, and to prevent the tube from swinging sidewise. This guard comprises two oppositely disposed outward extensions preferably in the form of bent plates ll that have cheeks or pads 18 to lie against the patients chin. The clamp l5 includes a body or clamping plate 13 (see Fig. 7), which is preferably of elongated rectangular form, and attached to this plate we provide wing plates 20 which are spring-pressed and which are provided with jaws 25 respectively, to clamp the shank 2 of the tube. These jaws may be mounted in any suitable manner to accomplish their purpose. In the present instance, the clamp-ing plate I9 is bent so as toform a rudimentary saddle 22 that rides on one side of the shank 2, while the jaws 2! are disposed opposite to this saddle, and by the action of a coil spring 23 are urged inwardly to clamp the shank against the saddle.

In order to accomplish this, the wing plates are hingedly mounted on the clamping plate 19. While the hinge connections for the clamping jaws may be made in any suitable manner, we prefer to form them on two forks 24, which form a rest 25 for the patients upper jaw. For this purpose the plate I9 is provided with means including four sockets 26 in which the forks 24 of the rest are secured. The sockets 26 on the same side of the plate IQ are separated from each other so as to expose portions of the forks 24, and at this point hinge sleeves 2'! formed on the wing plates 20 are attached. These wing plates may have substantially the form illustrated in Figure 8, each wing plate being provided with two of the jaws 2| already referred to.

The rest 25 is preferably made of stiff wire bent at its upper end to form a head 23 capable of engaging the teeth of the upper jaw. For this the head 28 is preferably bent to form a in the manner indicated in Figure 1.,

The rest 25 at its upper end is preferably offset inwardly as indicated in Figure 1. This offset brings the line of pressure of the upper jaw on the rest, into a plane which does not tend to disconnect the clamp from the shank 2.

This rest 25 is preferably secured in the clamp on the side opposite to the guard l6.

In Figures 2 and 3, we illustrate another embodiment of the invention as regards the suction head. In this instance, the suction head involves the use of a reduced neck 29 formed on the lower end of the goose neck 30, said neck affording means for securing a suction inlet 3! in the form of a manifold having a plurality of orifices 32. This suction inlet 3| has a tubular sleeve 33 extending up from it, that is secured over the neck 29, and this sleeve is provided with a slot 34 to align with an orifice or inlet opening 35 formed through the wallof the neck (see Fig. 3). Above the sleeve 33 a collar 36 is mounted, which is provided with an extension 31 in the form of a fan-shaped plate, and this plate may be provided with an opening 38 for facilitating passage of saliva through it and into contact with a roll 39 of absorbent material held under the plate 31.

In Figures 4 and 5, another embodiment for the suction head is illustrated, in which the lower end of the shank 40 of the suction tube is provided with a manifold inlet 4| having a plurality of suction inlets 42 aligning with corresponding orifices 43 in the wall of the shank 40. Above this suction inlet 4! a collar 44 is provided, which has a lateral extension 45 in the form of a rudimentary hook to engage the upper side of a roll of absorbent material. The inlet head 4| is preferably of enlarged diameter at one point, to form a hip or knuckle 46 to engage the under side of the roll of I absorbent material and to cooperate with the holder 45 to keep the roll in place.

In practice, sometimes the suction tube of the ejector is of flexible material in which case the shank does not cooperate very well with a clamp such as illustrated in Figure 6, because the material of the tube is soft. In Figure 9 we illustrate means for overcoming this difficulty. In this view, 41 illustrates the body of the flexible tube having a goose neck 48, which can be bent around as desired to fit into the patients mouth. In order to adapt such a tube to cooperate with a clamp such as illustrated, we provide it with an enveloping shank 50, which is preferably in the form of a sleeve of rigid material, such as brass. A relatively thin brass tube may be used for this purpose. This sleeve 50 may be brazed or otherwise secured to the tube. It is not for the purpose of reinforcing the tube, but to insure that there will always be a straight shank on which the clamp can run freely. It should be understood that when these saliva eje'ctors are in use, a hose is attached to the shank of the tube for conducting the saliva to a drain. It will be evident in using this saliva ejector, that the clamp l5 can be readily adjusted and secured in any position to hold the upper jaw of the patient easily in an open position, after the tube has been provided with a roll of cotton or other absorbent material. It will also be evident that the suction head can be swung over in the patients mouth either to the left side or the right side, to place it out of the way of the dentists fingers when working in the patients mouth.

It is desirable to have the goose neck of saliva ejectors as small as possible, so as not to interfere with the dentist working in the mouth. In Figure 10, we illustrated an embodiment of the invention in which the tube is formed with a relatively small goose neck 52, at which the tube is bent to a comparatively small radius. Beyond this goose neck the tube has a substantially horizontal shank 53 on the end of which a suction head 54 is mounted. The mounting for this suction head preferably includes an upper fitting 55 having a threaded nipple 56 that screws into the end of the tube, and this fitting 55 is provided with a bore 5! open on its under side to receive the upper end of a sleeve 58 which is thrust up into it from below. This sleeve has a perforation 59 in its side to communicate with the tubular nipple 56. The sleeve 58 may be friction-tight in the bore 51, or it may be retained by providing it with a depression 60 to be engaged by a corresponding small projection formed at the lower end of the bore.

The lower end of this sleeve 58 may be provided with holding means for the absorbent material such as that illustrated, and which may be substantially the same as that illustrated in Figure 4. The lower end of the sleeve is provided with an inlet opening 6| on the side toward the absorbent material. The absorbent material, of course, is held under the extension 62. The extension 62 and the enlarged lower head or button 63 may be formed in one piece and rigidly secured to the sleeve.

In Figures 11 to 14, we illustrate another embodiment of the invention, in which the saliva tube has a goose neck 64, the shank 65 of which extends downwardly so as to support an outer sleeve 66 within the mouth. This outer sleeve preferably has a convex face 51 on the side that is disposed inwardly in the mouth. In Figure 11, the dotted lines 68 indicate the contour of the patients jaw. This sleeve 66 is preferably cut away as at 69 on its outer side. This sleeve is supported by a swivel connection such as illustrated in Figure 10, on the shank 65, and the longitudinal axis of this sleeve is disposed in a substantially horizontal position. This sleeve is capable of supporting an elongated absorbent material such as the roll of cotton. The roll is pulled through the sleeve before the shank of the device is inserted in the patients mouth. In order to facilitate the passage of saliva up into the shank 65, the wall of the sleeve 66 is provided with a circumferential groove H, and on its lower side a longitudinal groove 12 is formed and extends out to the ends of the sleeve. These grooves facilitate the passage of saliva up into a tubular nipple 13 at the upper side of the sleeve, which is connected to the shank. If desired, an inner sleeve 14 may be provided, which is of light spring material. This sleeve is a split sleeve, and for this purpose is provided on its bottom side with a longitudinal slot 15, which may be enlarged into an opening 16 at its middle point. This opening 16 facilitates the passage of saliva up through the tubular nipple 13. It will be noted that when the absorbent material is placed in position it virtually completes the duct leading into the head that conducts the saliva into the head. In other .words, the inlet duct into the head will not operate efficiently without the presence of absorbent material.

The inner sleeve 14 is held in the outer sleeve by means of a slightly enlarged counterbore 71, which forms two annular shoulders 18, which engage the ends of the inner sleeve when it is in place.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein, is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and we do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What we claim is:-

1. In a dentists saliva ejector, the combination of a tube having a goose-neck to be hung in the patients mouth, a clamp having springpressed jaws for clamping the tube, said clamp having means extending away from the jaws, said means having outer extensions in a plane removed from the axis of the goose-neck for engaging the patients chin, and a rest carried by the clamp extending upwardly and having a rudimentary socket at its upper end for engaging the teeth of the patients upper jaw.

2. In a dentists saliva ejector, the combination of a tube having a goose-neck to be hung in the patients mouth, a clamp having spring-pressed jaws for clamping the tube, said clamp having a pair of members extending laterally therefrom for engaging the patients chin, operating to hold the goose-neck away'from the patients chin and a rest carried by the clamp extending upwardly and having a rudimentary socket at its upper end for engaging the teeth of the patients upper jaw.

3. In a dentists saliva ejector, the combination of a tube having a goose-neck to be hung in the patients mouth, a clamp having spring-pressed jaws for clamping the tube, said clamp having a pair of oppositely disposed chin plates extending therefrom for engaging the patients chin at two separate points, and a rest carried by the clamp extending upwardly and having a rudimentary socket at its upper end for engaging the teeth of the patients upper jaw.

4. In a dentists saliva ejector, the combination of a tube having a goose-neck to be hung in the patients mouth, a clamping plate having socket means formed thereon, a rest for the patients upper jaw having a stem received in the socket means, and a pair of wing plates hingedly mounted on the clamping plate, with jaws for clamping the side of the tube, and a spring associated with the wing plates for pressing the same in a direction to clamp the tube.

5. In a dentists saliva ejector, the combination of a tube having a goose-neck to be hung in the patients mouth, a clamping plate, a rest for the upper jaw of the patient having a stem with a pair of forks secured to the clamping plate, and a pair of wing plates hingedly mounted on the forks adjacent the clamping plate, said wing plates having jaws for clamping the side of the tube, and a spring associated with the wing plates for pressing the same in the direction to clamp the tube.

6. In a dentists saliva ejector, a tube having a 

